If you grow those three next to each other, you will not get three different kinds, you will get a blend of the three, and the seeds will be even more so. When I was growing peppers with passion, I always planted a jap in the middle of the bells to pick up the heat a little. I also lost a good line of chocolate peppers to an upwind cayenne.

I ordered up some seeds to grown some Calabrian chiles this summer. Hope I'm not too late for the warm growing season!

Here are some interesting links I ran across about Calabrian chiles and making chile oil. Regarding Calabrian chiles, the center of production is Diamante http://www.fiery-foods.com/chiles-around-the-world/77-europe/1914-calabria-part-1-diamante-a-jewel-for-chile-lovers, which is on the northwest coast of Calabria. They have a huge pepper festival every year which sounds like fun. There are several different types of Calbrian chiles. They would broadly be broken down into the "long and thin" (like cayenne), "shorter and stubbier" (the type that Craig uses in his oil), and round (which are not so hot but also very delicious). Here is a link to the page I found describing the various types:

Here is a link to a recipe (in Italian) for preserving Italian chiles. The method is interesting in that it involves leaving them to dry in the sun for about 5 days before canning them in oil, vinegar, salt and dried mint.

- Dried mint to taste- White wine vinegar to taste- Salt to taste- Extra virgin olive oil to taste- Glass jars airtightPreparedness : Clean up carefully with a cloth chilies, we remove the stalks and and let's put them in the sun to dry. It'll take 4-5 days to dry, but remember to bring them back home every day and dusk, to protect them from moisture. When they are ready ( faded but not too dry, must not crumble! ) , tagliamoli one by one at the tip of scissors (I leave the seeds, which give the maximum hotness!) .

Now add the white wine vinegar until if they absorb, leaving less of a finger at the bottom, saliamoli (it will be the salt to preserve them! ) and condiamoli with dried mint and finely chopped garlic with garlic press. Let them thus, covered by a cloth, for a whole day and giriamoli from time to time. Consider the sterilized glass jars (I do it quickly in the microwave ) versiamoci chilies and ricopriamoli completely oil (you already know: oil extravergined 'oil!). Chiudiamoli tightly and let them rest in the pantry for a few weeks, at least 3-4! This winter will be the perfect seasoning on just about EVERYTHING!

They warm the body and the heart! DELICIOUS

Here is a link to a cookbook available on Amazon about Calabrian cooking:

This chili experiment could turn out to be great, if some of you briany types can duplicate their process. Why is there so little on the interweb about these chili's and how to exactly prepair them. Maybe I should consider taking Italian at a night class or by CD. Or, I guess I could just by more Calabrian Chili's from Amazon.

Why would you dry them only to preserve them in oil? Doesn't make sense to me.

Maybe the idea is that you remove some of the moisture which would help in preserving them, but not too much. The recipe quoted above (and which I now see was unearthed by Craig earlier) cautions that you shouldn't dry them to the point of becoming brittle. Also, when you take out some water, then they probably are more receptive to soaking up that delicious olive oil. Sort of like a sponge.

The jar I got (which is cherry peppers from Italian Harvest) lists the following ingredients: Hot whole calabrian pepers, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and salt. No herbs. And they are really delicious too. They cost me $14 for a 6.7 oz. jar at Claro's Italian deli. Very expensive, but worth it! I would love it if I could grow some that would taste anywhere near as good.

Maybe the idea is that you remove some of the moisture which would help in preserving them, but not too much. The recipe quoted above (and which I now see was unearthed by Craig earlier) cautions that you shouldn't dry them to the point of becoming brittle. Also, when you take out some water, then they probably are more receptive to soaking up that delicious olive oil. Sort of like a sponge.

The jar I got (which is cherry peppers from Italian Harvest) lists the following ingredients: Hot whole calabrian pepers, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and salt. No herbs. And they are really delicious too. They cost me $14 for a 6.7 oz. jar at Claro's Italian deli. Very expensive, but worth it! I would love it if I could grow some that would taste anywhere near as good.

This made me want to check the labels for two different sizes I have for Tutto Calabria (retail and food service size). They taste the same, and I don't pick up any basil. Maybe slight oregano or even mint(power of suggestion?)

If you cut one in half, the skin is very, very thin and the "meat" isn't much thicker. I don't think the salt adds much in the form of preservation as it does to help the oil absorb. The vinegar probably does most of the preservation?

If you cut one in half, the skin is very, very thin and the "meat" isn't much thicker. I don't think the salt adds much in the form of preservation as it does to help the oil absorb. The vinegar probably does most of the preservation?

I would say in this case, vinegar is more of a flavoring, but it certainly aids preservation as well.

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"We make great pizza, with sourdough when we can, commercial yeast when we must, but always great pizza." Craig's Neapolitan Garage